Police have arrested a 19-year-old man suspected of aiding the escape of a Hamilton prisoner earlier this week.

Police released a still shot of a masked suspect caught on security video at Hamilton General Hospital on Tuesday. (Hamilton Police Service)

Shaddy Milhim, a Hamilton resident, has been charged with aiding escape from lawful custody, Hamilton police said Friday in a statement. He was to appear in court Friday for a bail hearing.

Police don't know the relationship between Milhim and Fawad Nouri, who was a prisoner at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre.

But they believe Milhim was one of the two men involved in helping Nouri escape from outside Hamilton General Hospital following a medical appointment Tuesday morning.

As Nouri and two provincial jail guards left the hospital, two masked gunmen overpowered the guards — a man and a woman — ordered them to the ground and fled with Nouri in the Ministry of Correctional Services van that was being used to transport the prisoner.

Police believe Nouri and the two other men dumped the stolen vehicle at the corner of Birge Street and Victoria Avenue North, then got into a silver Hyundai Tiburon, which was last seen heading east on Birge Street.

Police executed search warrants on two homes in Hamilton — one on Quigley Road and the other on Thorley Drive.

They seized a 1998 silver Hyundai Tiburon from the Thorley Drive home, which they believe is the same vehicle the three men used after abandoning the Correctional Services vehicle. Police will now conduct a forensic examination on the car.

Nouri and the other man who allegedly helped him escape remain at large.

Tips help

Authorities kicked off a nationwide search for the three on Wednesday.

Fawad Ahmed Nouri, 25, escaped from custody Tuesday morning in Hamilton and is considered armed and dangerous. (Hamilton Police Service)

Hamilton police said Friday that "numerous tips" have helped them in their investigation and allowed them to secure authorization for the search warrants.

They are now offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of Nouri and his accomplices. But the public is warned not to approach any of the suspects still on the loose, as they are considered armed and dangerous.

Nouri was in custody after being wounded in a shootout with police in January following an armed robbery at a Tim Hortons outlet in Hamilton.

He was arrested with another man, 26-year-old Todd Fenty, in connection with that robbery, which led to an exchange of gunfire with police and a high-speed chase.

Nouri was awaiting trial on several charges, including four counts of robbery and one count of wearing a disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence.

He has previous convictions for armed robbery.

Nouri is described as six-foot-one and 163 pounds